Bill H.R. 193: “American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017”, U.S. to pull out of the UN?

Bill H.R. 193: “American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017”, U.S. to pull out of the UN?

A new bill proposed by five duly elected Republican Congressmen: Text - H.R.193 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress. A BILL

To end membership of the United States in the United Nations.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017”. 

SEC. 2. Repeal of United Nations Participation Act of 1945. 

(a) Repeal.—The United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (Public Law 79–264; 22 U.S.C. 287 et seq.) is repealed. 

(b) Termination of membership in United Nations.—The President shall terminate all membership by the United States in the United Nations, and in any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations.

(c) Closure of United States Mission to United Nations.—The United States Mission to the United Nations is closed. Any remaining functions of such office shall not be carried out. 

SEC. 3. Repeal of United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act. 

(a) Repeal.—The United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act (Public Law 80–357) is repealed. 

(b) Withdrawal.—The United States withdraws from the agreement between the United States of America and the United Nations regarding the headquarters of the United Nations (signed at Lake Success, New York, on June 26, 1947, which was brought into effect by the United Nations Headquarters Agreement Act). 

SEC. 4. United States assessed and voluntary contributions to the United Nations.

No funds are authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for assessed or voluntary contributions of the United States to the United Nations or to any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, except that funds may be appropriated to facilitate termination of United States membership and withdrawal of United States personnel and equipment, in accordance with sections 2 and 3, respectively. 

Upon termination of United States membership, no payments shall be made to the United Nations or to any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, out of any funds appropriated prior to such termination or out of any other funds available for such purposes. 

SEC. 5. United Nations peacekeeping operations. 

(a) Termination.—No funds are authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any United States contribution to any United Nations military or peacekeeping operation or force. 

(b) Terminations of United States participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations.—No funds may be obligated or expended to support the participation of any member of the Armed Forces of the United States as part of any United Nations military or peacekeeping operation or force. No member of the Armed Forces of the United States may serve under the command of the United Nations. 

SEC. 6. Withdrawal of United Nations presence in facilities of the government of the United States and repeal of diplomatic immunity. 

(a) Withdrawal from United States Government property.—The United Nations (including any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations) may not occupy or use any property or facility of the United States Government. 

(b) Diplomatic immunity.—No officer or employee of the United Nations (including any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations) or any representative, officer, or employee of any mission to the United Nations of any foreign government shall be entitled to enjoy the privileges and immunities of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961, nor may any such privileges and immunities be extended to any such individual. The privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided for in the International Organizations Immunities Act of December 29, 1945 (59 Stat. 669; 22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.), or in any agreement or treaty to which the United States is a party, including the agreement entitled “Agreement Between the United Nations and the United States of America Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations”, signed June 26, 1947 (22 U.S.C. 287 note), and the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, entered into force with respect to the United States on April 29, 1970 (21 UST 1418; TIAS 6900; UNTS 16), shall not apply to the United Nations or to any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, to the officers and employees of the United Nations, or of any organ, specialized agency, commission or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations, or to the families, suites, or servants of such officers or employees. 

SEC. 7. Repeal of United States membership and participation in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

The joint resolution entitled “A joint resolution providing for membership and participation by the United States in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, and authorizing an appropriation therefor”, approved July 30, 1946 (Public Law 79–565, 22 U.S.C. 287m et seq.), is repealed. 

SEC. 8. Repeal of United Nations Environment Program Participation Act of 1973.

The United Nations Environment Program Participation Act of 1973 (22 U.S.C. 287 note) is repealed. 

SEC. 9. Repeal of United States participation in the World Health Organization.

The joint resolution entitled “Joint Resolution providing for membership and participation by the United States in the World Health Organization and authorizing an appropriation therefor”, approved June 14, 1948 (22 U.S.C. 290), is repealed. 

SEC. 10. Repeal of involvement in United Nations conventions and agreements.

Effective on the date of the enactment of this Act, the United States will end any participation in any conventions and agreements with the United Nations and any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations. Any remaining functions of such conventions and agreements shall not be carried out. 

SEC. 11. Reemployment with United States Government after service with an international organization. 

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the rights of employees under subchapter IV of chapter 35 of title 5, United States Code, relating to reemployment after service with an international organization.

SEC. 12. Notification.

Effective on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall notify the United Nations and any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United Nations of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 13. Effective date.

Except as otherwise provided, this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date that is two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

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Iranian FM Calls UN Human Rights Resolution against Iran "Dark Humor"

Iranian FM Calls UN Human Rights Resolution against Iran "Dark Humor" (fars).

"The two resolutions issued against Iran at the UN during the past few days are the dark humor of our time," Zarif said, addressing an international forum in Tehran on Saturday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the UN.

The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday passed a human rights resolution against Iran.

In relevant remarks on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari also voiced Tehran's strong opposition to politicizing the human rights resolutions issued by the UN.

"Iran is attaches no value and is against the politically-driven resolutions that have been approved based on political tendencies of countries and clandestine lobbies," Jaber Ansari said.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that Iran deplores the UN human rights mechanisms that are being adopted based on the selective policies of certain countries.

Earlier this week, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations Gholamhossein Dehqani, whose country is the rotating president of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), voiced concern over using human rights issues for political purposes.

"NAM reaffirms the need to ensure that human rights are not used for political purposes and adopting politically motivated decisions, and to avoid the problems which plagued the former Human Rights Commission," Dehqani said, addressing the UN Human Rights Council meeting in New York.

Also on Monday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi rapped sponsors of human rights resolutions against Tehran for their double-standard approach.

"The components of the resolution contradict the human rights realities in our country," Araqchi said, addressing a gathering of foreign envoys to Tehran.

He referred to the human rights talks between Iran and a number of countries, and said dialogue is the only way to improve and support human rights.

Araqchi also urged countries to extend support for Iran's positions and show their opposition to the instrumental use of human rights resolutions for political drives.

U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Rejects Resolution Singling Out Israel.

U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Rejects Resolution Singling Out Israel. (JNS).

In a 61-43 vote on Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) General Conference rejected a resolution proposed by several Arab states that called for international supervision and inspections of Israel’s nuclear sites.

The Arab campaign, which was led by Egypt and supported by Qatar, Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Iran, called on Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty and place its nuclear facilities under United Nations supervision. The IAEA is the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.

The vote to reject the resolution was a strong diplomatic victory for Israel after months of lobbying against the measure in dozens of international capitals. Among those who supported Israel were the United States, Canada, Australia, the entire European Union, and several African and Asian allies of the Jewish state.


During an address to the IAEA on Wednesday, the head of Israel’s Atomic Energy Committee, Ze’ev Snir, warned that the resolution would “hurt the credibility of the IAEA by politicizing the organization and reducing its valuable resources.”

'Nearly 40 countries agree to abolish the right of vetoing UN' - Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UN.

'Nearly 40 countries agree to abolish the right of vetoing UN' - Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UN. (ukrinform).[GoogleTranslate].

Nearly 40 countries supported the initiative of Paris regarding the voluntary renunciation of the use of the veto in the United Nations, in cases where it is necessary to take urgent measures to stop the massive crimes.

This was stated by Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Jorginho France, responding to a question Ukrinform.

"French initiative on regulation of the veto in cases of mass atrocities have found a very wide response in the United Nations and the international community. Nearly forty countries have officially expressed their support in the framework of the last meeting of the United Nations and many others show interest, "- the diplomat said.

According to him, the decision may be taken in September. "We are actively discussing this issue, in particular in connection with the 70th anniversary of the United Nations in September, as a further step in mobilizing the international community", - said Jorginho.

Recall a proposal to voluntarily restrict the use of the veto was made in 2013, French President Francois Hollande. In particular, it is proposed to introduce a special procedure: at the request of at least 50 of the Secretary-General will have to assess the situation, which is submitted to the Security Council. 

If the acts committed are qualified as serious offenses ubiquitous nature, such as genocide or war crimes, will involve a "gentleman's agreement", which provides for the voluntary renunciation of the right of veto. At the same time, this mechanism does not function in cases where national interests are affected by at least one of the permanent members of the Security Council.

As you know, in late July, Russia blocked a UN Security Council resolution on the establishment of an international tribunal on the case of the fall of Boeing MN17, vetoing. Hmmmm.......I see it more as a way to get the 'veto' on the Palestinian state settled.

'Islamist' Turkish police check newspaper Cumhuriyet over Charlie Hebdo cartoons.

'Islamist' Turkish police check newspaper Cumhuriyet over Charlie Hebdo cartoons. (TodaysZaman).

Police on Wednesday stopped trucks as they left a pro-secular newspaper's printing center and checked the paper's content after it decided to print a selection of Charlie Hebdo caricatures, the paper said.

Cumhuriyet newspaper said police allowed distribution to proceed after verifying that the satirical French newspaper's controversial cover featuring the Prophet Muhammad was not published.

The paper printed a four-page selection of cartoons and articles on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with Charlie Hebdo but left out cartoons which Muslims may find offensive. However, two Cumhuriyet columnists used small, black-and-white images of the Charlie Hebdo cover as their column headers in Wednesday's issue.

"While preparing this selection, we respected societies' freedoms of faith and religious sensitivities," said Cumhuriyet's editor-in-chief, Utku Çakırözer.

"Following a large number of consultations, we decided not to include the magazine's cover page," Çakırözer said. He did not mention the two columnists' decision to use images of the cover in their columns.

Caricatures featured in Cumhuriyet included some depicting Pope Francis and French President François Hollande, and one referring to a massacre by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Despite the daily’s decision not to publish the most controversial cartoons, police extended security measures in the surroundings of its offices in Istanbul’s central Şişli neighborhood.

An employee of daily Cumhuriyet told the Hürriyet Daily News on condition of anonymity on Jan. 15 that the newspaper had received hundreds of death threats.

Despite the official message of support to the victims, the magazine has been chided by many officials and commentators for publishing cartoons of Muhammad.

“Daily Cumhuriyet will be complicit with a magazine that insults sacred values and commits hate crimes against Muslims, slamming religion,” said conservative daily Yani Şafak, known for its closeness to the government.

The Turkish Journalists' Union (TGC) “The public sees new interventions against people's right to receive information and learn facts each day in Turkey -- which ranks 154th on the World Press Freedom Index. The latest example of this was the police attempt to prevent the distribution of Cumhuriyet without any court order.” It said that this act of the police is an example of censorship. Read the full story here.More here.

Court in #Turkey ordered to shut down the related link of online web portals of #CharlieHebdo's cover page. At least 4 portals used it.
— Zeynep Erdim (@zeynep_erdim) January 14, 2015

#Turkey court orders severing access to pages of 4 news portals that published cover page of #CharlieHebdo

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) January 14, 2015

I Will walk in #Paris for #CharlieHebdo claiming #JeSuisCharlie But i'll block the publication in Islamist #Turkey pic.twitter.com/s8ztDvIodQ
— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) January 14, 2015

Fuck your hypocrisy. Marching for #CharlieHebdo but getting it printed in #Turkey is a nono. Ridiculous!
— Capulcu Tonella (@diehimbeertonis) January 14, 2015

Turkish PM calls for reform in UN system....... we 'Neo Ottomans' want to dictate the World?

Turkish PM calls for reform in UN system....... we want to dictate the World? (Taz).

Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu has demanded reform in the UN system, saying that the current measures are incapable of preventing the serious crimes of brutal regimes, Anadolu Agency reported.

“All types of crimes against humanity are committed in Syria," Davutoglu said during a speech at the Berlin-based Koerber Foundation think-tank. "This is an indication of the inability of the UN system and also a clear picture that we need to reform the international system and international organizations.”

The UN Security Council has been unable to act on the Syrian issue since the crisis began in March 2011, as China and Russia have blocked any decision that would undermine the power of the Assad regime.

Davutoglu said that the international political order needs a new framework to ease tensions and bring solutions to conflicts around the world.

Davutoglu paid his first official visit as PM to Germany on Monday after assuming office in August 2014.

Germany has the largest Turkish diaspora abroad, with an estimated three million people of Turkish origin living in the country.

Hmmm.....I can imagine Turkey as permanent UN member, first target would be Israel....As mr Davutoglu described Israel in his 'younger days'  : "Israel is a “geo strategic tumor” and “a weed.” And in “Strategic Depth” he uses terminology and concepts long abandoned in the West to describe his vision for the 21st century. These include “lebensraum,” which was used by German expansionists. 

Video - Ambassador Prosor's Statement at the UNGA on the Question of Palestine: "J'accuse !"

"Today’s debate is not about speaking for peace or speaking for the Palestinian people – it is about speaking against Israel." Full transcript can be read here.

Video - "Global Anti-Semitism: A Threat to International Peace and Security." Brigitte Gabriel speaks on behalf of Israel

Ban Ki-moon: U.N. Will Investigate Israel's Targeting Of Its Schools During Gaza Conflict

Ban Ki-moon: U.N. Will Investigate Israel's Targeting Of Its Schools During Gaza Conflict. (forward).

The United Nations is preparing to investigate the targeting of its schools in Gaza during Israel’s recent operation in Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told an Arabic newspaper.

Several United Nations workers were kicked in airstrikes on the schools, which were housing internally displaced Palestinians. Weapons were found by the U.N. to be stored by Gaza terror groups in at least three U.N. schools.

The investigation is separate from a U.N. Human Rights Council panel investigating possible war crimes committed by Israel during the 50 days of Operation Protective Edge, Ban told the London-base Arabic Al-Hayat newspaper.

Israel has said soldiers were responding to rocket fire emanating from next to or inside the schools’ yards.

The investigation would not begin until the end of the UNHCR investigation led by Canadian judge William Schabas.

Ban told the newspaper that he already told the Israelis about the future probe, which will look into “the killing and wounding of United Nations personnel and the destruction of its facilities and to hold accountable those responsible,” as well as to investigate the storage of weapons in some of these facilities.

Video - Anne Bayefsky speaks @ the UN about UN antisemitism

HT: IsraelMatzav.

Video - Children Eating from the Streets of Hajr al Aswad in Damascus

The video shows children being interviewed whilst they eat from scraps on the ground due to shortage of food in the Hajr al Aswad area of Damascus.

This video is hereby translated under full responsibility of ANA PRESS

For more information please feel free to send your inquiries to: info@ana-press.com

U.N. Rights Chief Slams Israel Gaza Attack, Suggests Bombardment Illegal Under Int'l Law.

U.N. Rights Chief Slams Israel Gaza Attack, Suggests Bombardment Illegal Under Int'l Law.HT: Forward.

The United Nations’ top human rights official said on Friday she had serious doubts that Israeli’s military operation against Gaza complied with international law that bans the targeting of civilians and their homes.

International law requires Israel to take all measures to ensure that its attacks are proportional, distinguish between military and civilian objects, and avoid civilian casualties, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said.

“We have received deeply disturbing reports that many of the civilian casualties, including of children, occurred as a result of strikes on homes. Such reports raise serious doubt about whether the Israeli strikes have been in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” Pillay said in a statement also calling on Palestinian armed groups to uphold international law.

The "Sound Of Terror" - Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Plays Air Raid Siren at Security Council Meeting.

The "Sound Of Terror" - Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Plays Air Raid Siren at Security Council Meeting. HT: Algemeiner.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor played an air raid siren from a cell phone during a Security Council session on Thursday in order to highlight Israel’s plight as a nation under fire from Gaza rockets.

“As I speak, there is a storm of rockets being fired by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza,” Prosor said. “Hamas is intentionally and indiscriminately threatening the lives of three and a half million innocent men, women, and children in Israel from north to south – from Beersheba to Tel Aviv to Haifa.”

The Ambassador added, “In the last three days, 442 rockets have been fired into Israel – that’s one every 10 minutes.”

“Fifteen seconds. That’s how much time you have to run for your life,” he said after sounding the alarm. “Imagine having only 15 seconds to find a bomb shelter. Now imagine doing it with small children or elderly parents or an ailing friend.”Reead the full story here.

Kerry “I Will Implement President Obama’s Vision For The World” signs UN arms treaty, senators threaten to block it.

Kerry “I Will Implement President Obama’s Vision For The World” signs UN arms treaty, senators threaten to block it.(Fox).

*'Under the ATT, Human rights accusations could easily be cited as an excuse for restricting U.S. arms sales to Israel.'

Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday signed a controversial U.N. treaty on arms regulation, riling U.S. lawmakers who vow the Senate will not ratify the agreement.

In advance of the signing, a State Department official said the treaty would "reduce the risk that international transfers of conventional arms will be used to carry out the world's worst crimes," while protecting gun rights.

"The treaty builds on decades of cooperative efforts to stem the international, illegal, and illicit trade in conventional weapons that benefits terrorists and rogue agents," the official said.

U.S. lawmakers, though, have long claimed the treaty could lead to new gun control measures. They note the U.S. Senate has final say on whether to approve the agreement.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in a letter to President Obama, urged his administration not to take any action to implement the treaty without the consent of the Senate.

He claimed the treaty raises "fundamental issues" concerning "individual rights protected by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution."

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., one of the most vocal opponents of the treaty, also sent a letter to Kerry declaring the treaty "dead in the water," since a majority of senators has gone on record against the agreement.

"The administration is wasting precious time trying to sign away our laws to the global community and unelected U.N. bureaucrats," he wrote.

Kerry, who is in New York attending the U.N. General Assembly session, announced earlier this year that the administration planned to sign the treaty.

The treaty would require countries that ratify it to establish national regulations to control the transfer of conventional arms and components and to regulate arms brokers, but it will not explicitly control the domestic use of weapons in any country.

Still, gun-rights supporters on Capitol Hill warn the treaty could be used as the basis for additional gun regulations inside the U.S. and have threatened not to ratify.

Over the summer, 130 members of Congress signed a letter to President Obama and Kerry urging them to reject the measure for this and other reasons.

The chance of adoption by the U.S. is slim. A two-thirds majority would be needed in the Senate to ratify.

It prohibits states that ratify it from transferring conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes or if they promote acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. *

The treaty also prohibits the export of conventional arms if they could be used in attacks on civilians or civilian buildings such as schools and hospitals.

In addition, the treaty requires countries to take measures to prevent the diversion of conventional weapons to the illicit market. This is among the provisions that gun-rights supporters in Congress are concerned about.Hmmm........'The chance of adoption by the U.S. is slim.'....I guess this depends on how much 'Dirt' the NSA has on these 'Senators'? 



Related:  Lets Abolish US Arms trade to Israel? Kerry voices conditional US support for UN arms trade treaty.

             If the U.S. approves the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty it could be used to stop arms sales to Israel.

The Real Rouhani - Actions speak clearer than words.

HT: The Real Rouhani

WHAT ROUHANI SAYS	WHAT ROUHANI DOES
1. “We must work together to end the unhealthy rivalries and interferences that fuel violence and drive us apart.” (The Washington Post, 09/19/13)	1. Rouhani’s government held a military parade in Tehran this weekend featuring missiles emblazoned with the slogans “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” (The Washington Free Beacon, 09/23/13)
2. “I’m committed to fulfilling my promises to my people, including my pledge to engage in constructive interaction with the world.” (The Washington Post, 09/21/13)	2. Rouhani in a campaign speech on May 8th, 2013: “Saying ‘Death to America’ is easy. We need to express ‘Death to America’ with action.” (The Wall Street Journal, 08/07/13)
3. “A constructive approach to diplomacy…means engaging with one’s counterparts, on the basis of equal footing and mutual respect.” (The Washington Post, 09/21/13)	3. Rouhani previously said: “We recognize Israel as a terrorist nation.” (ABC News, 09/12/02)
4. “A key aspect of my commitment to constructive interaction entails a sincere effort to engage with neighbors and other nations to identify and secure win-win solutions.” (The Washington Post, 09/21/13)	4. Rouhani picked as his defense minister one of the plotters of the 1983 U.S. Marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 Americans. (The Washington Times, 08/13/13)
5. “The nuclear negotiations need only one thing and that is the political will of the other side to reach an agreement. This does exist on our side. And in my opinion, if both sides have the political will, then the Iranian nuclear issue is a very simple matter and can be settled in a short period of time.” (NBC News, 09/21/13)	5. In a speech to Iranian clerics only weeks ago, he said: “Our government will not give up one iota of its absolute rights on the nuclear issue.” (YNet News, 09/10/13) In 2006, Rouhani boasted in a private speech in Iran of misleading the West over Iran’s nuclear program. According to the New York Times: “In a remarkable admission, Mr. Rowhani suggested in his speech that Iran had used the negotiations with the Europeans to dupe them. He boasted that while negotiations were continuing, Iran managed to master a key stage in the nuclear fuel process — the conversion of uranium yellowcake at its Isfahan plant. ‘While we were talking with the Europeans in Tehran, we were installing equipment in parts of the facility in Isfahan, but we still had a long way to go to complete the project,’ he said. ‘In fact, by creating a calm environment, we were able to complete the work on Isfahan.’” (The New York Times, 03/14/06)
6. “Iran wants to have peaceful nuclear activities. Iran is against any nuclear weapons.” (NBC News, 09/21/13)	6. In 2003, when Rouhani was Iran’s head nuclear negotiator, he baldly lied to European negotiators about Iran’s nuclear program. He promised that Iran was fully cooperating with IAEA monitoring of its nuclear program while Iran was in fact clandestinely enriching uranium. (American Enterprise Institute, 06/18/13)
7. “Syria, a jewel of civilization, has become the scene of heartbreaking violence, including chemical weapons attacks, which we strongly condemn.” (The Washington Post, 09/19/13)	7. Aside from Russia, Iran has been the biggest political and military supporter of the Assad regime in Syria, throughout the war supplying Assad’s military with weapons, money, training, and fighters. Assad’s chemical attack occurred while Rouhani was president of Iran. (The New York Times, 09/04/12)
8. “We must create an atmosphere where peoples of the region can decide their own fates.” (The Washington Post, 09/19/13)	8. Iran ordered its Lebanese-based terrorist ally Hezbollah into Syria to help Assad more efficiently kill his own people. (The New York Times, 08/17/13) Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah set up a joint command to violently suppress the uprising against the Assad regime. (The Times of Israel, 09/07/13)
9. “Gone is the age of blood feuds.” (The Washington Post, 09/19/13)	9. “Rohani…chaired Iran’s National Security Council between 1989 and 2005, meaning he was at the top table when Iran masterminded the 1994 bombing of the Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people, and of the Khobar Towers in 1996, killing 19 U.S. airmen.” (The Wall Street Journal, 06/17/13)
10. “Rather than focusing on how to prevent things from getting worse, we need to think — and talk — about how to make things better.” (The Washington Post, 09/19/13)	10. “Mr. Rohani led the crackdown on a 1999 student uprising…As Mr. Rohani said at a pro-regime rally in July 1999: ‘At dusk yesterday we received a decisive revolutionary order to crush mercilessly and monumentally any move of these opportunist elements wherever it may occur.’” (The Wall Street Journal, June 13, 2013)

President Rohani to meet 2 counterparts, 2 PMs, German FM and American Muslim leaders in NY

President Rohani to meet 2 counterparts, 2 PMs, German FM and American Muslim leaders in NY.(Taz).

In the meetings, the sides will discuss bilateral relations and international issues.

On the second day of his stay, President Rohani will be the 7th president to address the UNGA meeting, IRNA reported.

Among other programs on President Rohani's agenda are an interview with CNN and meetings with outstanding personalities and American Muslim leaders.

The president's speech at the UNGA will be broadcast live from the first channel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRIB News Network, the IRIB External Service, the IRIB Al-Alam TV, Press TV, Hispan TV and Jam-e Jam TV.

"Dawn Of The Moderates" - Iran pardons 80 political prisoners, keeps hundreds if not thousands more in Jail.

"Dawn Of The Moderates" - Iran pardons 80 political prisoners, keeps hundreds more in Jail.(Taz).

Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has pardoned eighty prisoners, Judiciary spokesman and Attorney General Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei said on Monday.
The prisoners were released after the amnesty, the Khabaronline news website quoted Ejei as saying.
He went on to note that some prisoners who were arrested over riots that followed the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009 were among the pardoned prisoners.
"Under the law, prisoners can be granted pardon on the suggestion of the head of the judiciary and that can include all or part of their terms," Ejei said.
According to him, more prisoners will be pardoned and released in the near future.

United for Iran has documented at least 500 political prisoners who are currently languishing in prison, with the total number likely much higher.

A Detailed prisoner list can be seen here, Take your time there are 4, 761 names !

"Dawn of the Moderates" - Hassan Rouhani heads to UN with 23 executions in 4 days.

"Dawn of the Moderates" - Hassan Rouhani heads to UN with 23 executions in 4 days.(NCR).(Warning link contains graphic images)

Just in the past four days and on the eve of Mullah Rouhani’s participation at United Nations General Assembly, mullahs’ regime has hanged 23 prisoners in prisons of Zahedan, Yazd, Tonekabon and the Gohardasht prison. Hence, after the June 14 sham presidential election, number of executions announced by regime’s media or disclosed otherwise stands at 173.

On Saturday, September 21, nine prisoners were hanged in two group executions in prisons of Zahedan and Qazvin. Sunni compatriots Ahmad Issa Zehi, Rashid Soufian, Khaled Reigei, Hamidreza Karimi and Ghaffar Nourzehei were hanged in Zahedan prison. To bar dissemination of this atrocity, the clerical regime cut off all communications of this prison with the outside world two days in advance. On this same day, four more prisoners were executed in Qazvin.

At dawn of Thursday, September 19, eight prisoners, including three women, were hanged in Yazd’s central prison. On this same day, two prisoners were executed in Tonekabon. One prisoner was hanged in public (Mehr news agency, affiliated with Ministry of Intelligence - September 19). Additionally, on September 18, at least four prisoners were executed in Gohardasht prison.

Thousands of prisoners, including 3000 in Qezelhessar prison in Karaj, are on the death row. To facilitate mass executions, mullahs’ regime has installed stages where it can concurrently execute 24 and every week it covertly hangs a number of prisoners.

Meanwhile, Mullahs’ supreme tribunal has confirmed death sentences of four Kurdish compatriots Jamshid Dehghani, his younger brother Jahangir Dehghani, Hamed Ahmadi and Kamal Molaei and these four prisoners may be executed at any time.

The cycle of torture and execution is essential to the survival of religious fascism ruling Iran and as long as this regime is in power, this ominous cycle will demand its victims every day and hour from the Iranian people and in particular its youth. In such conditions and while scores of Iranian youth, students, laborers and families of PMOI and Ashrafis are in regime’s prisons, torture chambers, and safe houses, releasing sixteen prisoners that most of them had almost finished their prison terms and some were even released conditionally, will hardly deceive anyone.

Israel Says Germany Trying To Keep It From Joining UN Security Council.

Israel Says Germany Trying To Keep It From Joining UN Security Council.(Matzav).Israel issued a formal complaint against Germany for blocking it from serving on the United Nations Security Council in 2018, Israel Hayom reported. Israel has never held a position on the council, although nations such as Syria and Iran have.

The Security Council comprises five permanent and 10 rotating members, elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms and chosen from regional groups. Due to pressures by the Arab League, Israel was removed from the Asian region and placed in the “Western European and others” regional group.

For years Israel has tried to be part of the council. Germany recently decided to vie for the 2018 spot, and Israel conceivably has no chance of winning against Germany.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Israel and Germany had an agreement in which Germany said it would not run, but the agreement was breached.Read the full story here.

"United Nutcases" - Iran to chair U.N. disarmament conference.

"United Nutcases" - Iran to chair U.N. disarmament conference.HT: UN Watch. AstuteBlogger.

GENEVA, May 13, 2013 – Iran will chair the United Nations’ most important disarmament negotiating forum during the panel’s May session, which opened today, sparking calls by an independent monitoring group for the U.S., the EU, and UN chief Ban Ki-moon to protest.

“This is like putting Jack the Ripper in charge of a women’s shelter,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, the Geneva based non-governmental organization, which announced it will hold protest events outside the UN hall featuring Iranian dissidents.

“Iran is an international outlaw state that illegally supplies rockets to Syria, Hezbollah, and Hamas, aiding and abetting mass murder and terrorism. To make this rogue regime head of world arms control is simply an outrage. Abusers of international norms should not be the public face of the UN.”

U.N. officials say Iran’s post is merely the result of an automatic rotation.

But UN Watch rejected attempts to downplay what it described as “a fundamental conflict of interests” and “an act certain to be exploited by Iranian propaganda to legitimize the mullahs’ cruel regime.”

“UN Watch calls on U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, EU High Commissioner Catherine Ashton, and UN chief Ban Ki-moon to make clear that when the United Nations imposes four rounds of sanctions on Iran for illicit nuclear activities, condemns it for illegally arming the murderous Syrian regime, and denounces Tehran’s massive abuse of human rights, this kind of appointment just defies common sense and harms the UN’s credibility,” said Neuer.

“Any member state that is the subject of UN Security Council sanctions for proliferation—and found guilty of massive human rights violations—should be ineligible to hold a leadership position in a UN body. The U.S. and Canada have asserted this principle in the past, and should do so again,” said Neuer.

“We urge world leaders to declare that allowing Iran to chair a UN disarmament body is simply unacceptable, given the fundamentalist regime’s illicit activities in precisely the opposite direction,” said Neuer.

“The U.S., the EU, and other nations should call on Iran to pass the chair on to a credible country that will advance the disarmament agenda within the UN,” said Neuer.

The Conference of Disarmament reports to the UN General Assembly and is billed by the UN as “the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community.”

Iran will assume the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament on May 27 and hold it over four weeks, until June 23.Hmmm.......Perhaps North Korea can take over from Iran?Read the full story here.